Welcome to the British Farming Forum. The forum for agricultural discussion on all farming topics. You will have to register before you can
post. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Fertiliser 500kg bags

Hi,

Does anyone know of any firms that deliver fert in 500kg bags. My usual merchants in North Yorkshire just seem to shrug their shoulders and say its all in 600kg bags these days. This is a bit of a problem for me as my tractor with the front loader is elderly and really struggles to lift the 600kg bags. The last time we had a delivery with 600kg bags we only just manged to lift and scrape the bags off the lorry. Everyone was 'jolly' but I wonder how 'jolly' they would be if a nail was standing proud and tore the bottom of the bag. I live on the North York moors so am looking for a merchant in the North or closeby.

Re: Fertiliser 500kg bags

BATA do sometimes get straight N in 500kgs (not sure why)
I prefer 500kg too because I can put two in the spreader, but only one 600kg!
Blends have been always 600kg for a while though
I think they actually bag it on the docks near Hull

Re: Fertiliser 500kg bags

What loader attachment are you using?

If you're using something like a muckfork you could save a good few kg by knocking up something lightweight with a simple hook, or single tine, to lift the bags with.
Keeping the lifting point as close in to the loader as possible will also help, providing you can access both sides of the lorry for unloading.

Re: Fertiliser 500kg bags

BATA were one of the merchants that I have already asked and sadly, they did not seem too bothered about losing a sale. I haven't spread any fert for a few years so I will likely benefit from a blend. If they bag it on the docks at Hull, I cannot see why they can't fill to 500kg as opposed to 600kg if it means that they will get a sale. As it is they have lost a sale with me.

Cheers for the info though it is useful to have this intel next time I am talking to a salesperson.

Originally Posted by 4wd

BATA do sometimes get straight N in 500kgs (not sure why)
I prefer 500kg too because I can put two in the spreader, but only one 600kg!
Blends have been always 600kg for a while though
I think they actually bag it on the docks near Hull

Re: Fertiliser 500kg bags

I'm using an old International 454 with a front end loader. Even with one spike and full height it only just manages to take the weight of a 600kg bag and we have to drag it off the wagon with the tractor. Like I said in my original post it would only take a screw top sticking up on the wagon floor or some other type of sharp object to tear the bag and then we would have a 600kg pile of fert at the roadside, (yup they won't come down the track into our farmyard).

I agree with keeping the lifting point as close to the loader as possible, but it would be all sooooo simpler if someone would just supply the fert in 500kg bags, like they used to.

Anyway thanks for the advice.

Originally Posted by MC130

What loader attachment are you using?

If you're using something like a muckfork you could save a good few kg by knocking up something lightweight with a simple hook, or single tine, to lift the bags with.
Keeping the lifting point as close in to the loader as possible will also help, providing you can access both sides of the lorry for unloading.

Re: Fertiliser 500kg bags

Originally Posted by MrMuckspreader

I'm using an old International 454 with a front end loader. Even with one spike and full height it only just manages to take the weight of a 600kg bag and we have to drag it off the wagon with the tractor. Like I said in my original post it would only take a screw top sticking up on the wagon floor or some other type of sharp object to tear the bag and then we would have a 600kg pile of fert at the roadside, (yup they won't come down the track into our farmyard).

I agree with keeping the lifting point as close to the loader as possible, but it would be all sooooo simpler if someone would just supply the fert in 500kg bags, like they used to.

Anyway thanks for the advice.

From what you've said I'm guessing your order isn't a huge tonnage, which will be the main reason they won't put themselves out. Smaller bags are more expensive to handle and transport.

If you're at full height anyway then putting 500kg in a 600kg empty (probably all they'll have) won't really help. It may even be worse as the bag will lose its shape at the top. Back in the day we occasionally had to use an old Leyland to load the spreader if the main loader was elsewhere. To get the height we used to pull the whole bag up between the two centre tines on the muckfork, pull the loop over and hook it onto one of the outside tines. This could give an extra 18 inches or so of lift height. If you're using a single spike maybe you could pull the whole bag-top over the spike and fix the loop to the side of the frame with a shackle, or something?

Regarding the weight, I'm guessing you would have a decent weight on the 3-point links, with a tractor that size. Another trick you could try would be to drop the weight onto the ground before lifting the bag. Once the loader has done all the lifting it can, lift the rear weight off the ground. The weight transfer alone could give you another 3 or 4 inches clearance.

Re: Fertiliser 500kg bags

Originally Posted by MrMuckspreader

I'm using an old International 454 with a front end loader. Even with one spike and full height it only just manages to take the weight of a 600kg bag and we have to drag it off the wagon with the tractor. Like I said in my original post it would only take a screw top sticking up on the wagon floor or some other type of sharp object to tear the bag and then we would have a 600kg pile of fert at the roadside, (yup they won't come down the track into our farmyard).

I agree with keeping the lifting point as close to the loader as possible, but it would be all sooooo simpler if someone would just supply the fert in 500kg bags, like they used to.

Anyway thanks for the advice.

Any possibility of having them put the bag on a pallet so you can lift from the bottom of the bag?

Re: Fertiliser 500kg bags

Or tweak the relief valve on the hydraulics. Or bring the lifting point down the boom a bit with a fabricated bracket to take the attaching point above the boom behind the cross member. Another option is an old 3 point linkage forklift,plenty in the nettles for scrap price once the bigger farmers got telehandlers.